NHRC Asks Jammu and Kashmir Government to hold Talks with Migrants

23rd January 1999The Times of India

NEW DELHI: National Human Rights Commission has directed Jammu and
Kashmir government to organize a high-level meeting with the representatives
of migrants in March. The directions were issued after a meeting held in
the NHRC office here with the J & K chief secretary, the state's
advocate-general and the representatives of the Kashmir migrants.

At the March meeting, senior state ministers and government officials will
listen to the grievances of the migrants and make efforts to solve them.
The NHRC has offered its services in helping the process of handling
individual issues regarding the migrants' problems.
Earlier, the NHRC had directed the J & K government to submit a report on
the steps taken by it to protect the properties of Kashmiri pandits who had
fled from the state after the militants' attacks.
The state government had also been directed by the NHRC to prepare a
district-wise list of properties falling within the purview of the Jammu
and Kashmir Migrants' Immovable Property(preservation, protection and
restraint on depressed cells) Act, 1997, and inform about the action
taken so far.

According to a spokes-woman of the NHRC, these directions have since
been complied with and the J & K government has expressed its willingness
to allow migrants interested in checking their properties and take stock
of the damage done. ``The state government will provide all necessary help
whenever sought by the migrants,'' she said.

The J & K government's chief secretary has assured the NHRC that the
officials at various levels would be directed to interact effectively to
provide all necessary aid to the displaced people.